Tennis Newbie.....suggestions for my serve (video)

[clattin]

I just picked up playing tennis at the age of 40.....last April. Never even really swung a racquet before but having a blast! I've had a couple of lessons but otherwise just play a lot (3-4x/week) and get a lot of suggestions/help from some of the guys I play with.

When I started out, I was just "gripping and ripping" on my serve and was having some decent success (about 50% 1st serves in)...they were fast but real "flat". Several of the guys I play with told me that if I gripped the racquet properly (continental) on my serve, it would be awesome. So.....I've committed myself to doing it right. It has definitely been a "work in progress" and I just really started it a few weeks ago. I had my wife video my serve from back and front yesterday after we had played a couple of sets.

My biggest problem is that I tend to hit my serves long......maybe a foot or 2 behind the service line. Because of this, I'm really struggling to get my first serve in.

I'm a tall guy (about 6'6") and just got a new racquet for Xmas (Babolat APD). I got a brand new one with a 4 5/8" grip and bought a used one with a 4 1/4" grip and put a big overgrip on it. The new racquet has Blast RPM 18 strings on it for both mains and crosses at about 55 pounds.

Below is a link to the vids we shot. Any help is greatly appreciated! I'm COMMITTED to doing this right!

Thanks!
Chris

Serve from back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p26-qfT5Xho

Serve from front:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOogtqxru9M

[slowfox]

If the serve is going long by a foot or two, aim a tad lower. Works for me when I'm hitting long. And at 6'6" you can really develop your serve into a weapon, height helps.

BTW, your front view, back view is just side view to me...

[cluckcluck]

You gotta use your legs. Your serves look like all arm. As you toss let your hips sink into your legs and as your racquet goes into the swing/serve motion move up into the ball.

[Head Pegger]

high contact point. use kneebend to explode body up into serve.
not bad

[clattin]

Thanks for all the great comments! I have a little problem adding a knee bend in right now because I have injuries to both knees right now. I have surgery sched on my right knee on Jan 29th and then the left 4 weeks later. This will be knee surgeries #7 and #8! Years of basketball have taken their toll!

I'll try to add some knee bend in though tonight!

Would a video with a different angle help you guys?

Thanks again!
Chris